


what madness is this

by spacecleavage



Category: Sanditon (2019), Sanditon (TV 2019), Sanditon - Jane Austen
Genre: Canon, F/M, Post 1x06, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-15 06:15:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20861591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacecleavage/pseuds/spacecleavage
Summary: "Charlotte stared out the carriage window as they meandered through the old London streets. She attempted to keep her mind on the horizon, so that she could memorize it for her next letter home letters but a loud snort from Mister Tom Parker disturbed her yet again.It brought her back to her surroundings all too rudely, back to the jaunting carriage, the loud snoring from Mr Parker sitting across from her, the indomitable presence of Mister Sidney Parker sitting beside her."the carriage ride home after the party





	what madness is this

**Author's Note:**

> so someone has dragged me kicking and screaming into this fandom, and this little nugget burrowed into my brain and would not leave me alone until i wrote it
> 
> if you are someone subscribed to me, i ask you give Sanditon a chance, it went from unknown to favourite show in a day, in my house. please enjoy my first foray into writing in about two years

Charlotte stared out the carriage window as they meandered through the old London streets. She attempted to keep her mind on the horizon, so that she could memorize it for her next letter home, while her father may have scoffed at it, she knew he would lean forward in his chair as her mother slowly read the details to the rest of their family. The younger ones would be struggling to keep their eyes open, while her dearest sister would be wringing her hands wishing that she had asked (begged, pleaded) with their father that she might accompany Charlotte to Sanditon with the Parkers too. Charlotte would have to write a letter just to her, detailing the ball she had just attended, the styles of dresses, the beautiful arrangements of flowers and the dancing, oh how her sister loved dancing. She tried to focus on composing the letters but a loud snort from Mister Tom Parker disturbed her yet again.

It brought her back to her surroundings all too rudely, back to the jaunting carriage, the loud snoring from Mr Parker sitting across from her, the indomitable presence of Mister Sidney Parker sitting beside her. She tried not think about the rest of the ball, sneaking back to the alcove where Lady Susan was, her paltry attempts at polite conversation with the lady. She definitely tried not to dwell on the fact that neither Mister Parker noticed she was missing until it came time to leave.

Lord did she try. But her mind kept replaying the conversation that she had with Mister Tom as they danced, interspersed with images of Mister Sidney smiling down at her, and the way that same smile seemed somehow brighter as he spoke to Ms Eliza.

Mister Tom Parker snuffled again as they hit a particularly large pothole. That same pothole sent her sliding in her seat to crash into Mister Sidney Parker.

She tried not to blanch as she felt the warmth of him against her. She mumbled out an apology and endeavoured not to notice his smile. The same smile he had worn earlier in the night, or perhaps that was just her imagination because the only light in the small carriage was that of the lamps by the road as they drove back to the London house. Yes, that was it.

She definitely did not notice the way his smile froze on his face and faded back to his mask she withdrew herself, cramming back into the furthest corner of the carriage.

She returned to staring out the window, hoping something would catch her attention enough for her to put the memories playing behind her eyelids to bed.

And even though she was tucked into the corner, so tightly she feared she may never be able to be removed, and even though her breath was slowly fogging over the window, she could still feel the heat of him beside her, seeping through her skin to settle deep down in her bones.

She supressed a shiver as a breeze of cold air rushed through the carriage through some unseen hole. It had been a warm night when they had left for the ball, and warmer even at the ball with so many people (and so much dancing). Charlotte herself had removed gloves as she spoke with Lady Susan, with the hope that it would decrease her perspiration, and she had forgotten them in her haste to depart. But England’s weather would not be thwarted, the cold leeched into everything, and though she had been sitting in the same spot for five minutes, the seat still felt cold.

The carriage lurched again, though this time she was prepared for it, and was able to catch herself from crashing into Mister Sidney again, by putting her hand in the middle of the seat. It saved her a second of awkwardness before the carriage lurched the other way, sending him careening towards her.

He used the exact same manoeuvre that stopped her from falling into him, except his hand landed on top of hers, completely encompassing it.

She knew logically that he would have bigger hands than her. He towered over her; it was to be expected. Yet still, it shocked her. She could feel the second knuckles brushing against the ends of her fingers, how much wider they were than hers and heavier too. They were calloused too, perhaps in ways that a gentleman’s should not be. And the heat of them? They were on fire compared to ice that had coursing through her veins since Mister Parker had revealed who Ms Eliza was and their history together.

She barely heard the shout of apology from the driver as Sidney picked up her hand, her tiny frozen hand. He wrapped his hand around it and Charlotte felt her heart begin to race as he let their fingers intertwine for a second.

He said something then, she made out the word frozen over the thundering blood in her ears.

She watched unable to make a sound as he shrugged off his jacket and wrapped it around her. There was a trail of fire in the wake of where he had casually touched her, it consumed her as she was not only wrapped in warmth but in smell. The scent of his tobacco, horse and a musky sweat clung to the jacket as she instinctively burrowed into it.

Her eyes fell closed as she lost herself, temporarily, in the smell and heat of his overcoat. But was brought out of it quickly by his hands taking hers again. She stared, utterly befuddled, as he brought her still cold hands up to his mouth and blew gently over them, before rubbing at them softly.

Some faraway logical part of her brain whispered that it was to warm her up, but that whisper was lost. Lost in the heat of his gaze as he stared down at her, bringing her hands up towards his lips again. His full, full lips and his eyes so dark. The heat that had settled in her seemed to pool at her belly and then clenched as his lips came so close to grazing her fingertips.

Her mouth was suddenly dry, and she could not help as her tongue darted forward to lick her lips. His eyes left hers to stare at them, her breath catching in her chest as he leaned ever closer.

Nothing around them mattered at all in that moment, all Charlotte could think about was whether his lips would taste of the same smoke that he favoured from his pipe, or perhaps more like the Alsace white that he had been drinking all night. She lent in as well, she just had to find out. They were so close…

Then the moment shattered, the carriage pulled to an abrupt stop in front of the townhouse and Mr Parker was startled awake.

The driver opened the door on Sidney's side, and he slipped out quickly, followed by Mr Parker.

She took a shuddering breath. What had just happened? Had almost kissed Mister Sidney Parker? A man, who not two hours ago had seemed to crush her fragile heart?

She took another breath, resolving not to dwell on it until she was safely tucked away in her bed. She would thank the Misters Parker for a pleasant evening, return the coat and flee straight to bed. Hopefully Georgiana would already be asleep, and she could escape without having to dwell on anything. Of course, there is a saying about good intentions, hers were quite thoroughly dashed, when instead of finding Mister Parker giving her a hand out of the carriage it was Sidney and the dark look had not left his eyes. Indeed, he clung to her hand moments too long after she had disembarked.

Mister Parker had entirely disappeared in the second she had taken to fortify herself, instead she was left all alone with Mister Sidney yet again.

Indeed, he did not remove his bare hand from hers at all, as he arranged her arm so he could lead her inside.

Charlotte knew that all reason had abandoned her as she tried to find an excuse, any excuse, to head to her bedroom alone. Instead, she found herself led there, her slowly warming fingers interlinked with his.

She was still trying to find the words to say good night when they arrived at her door. Before she could utter her modest words, he spoke.

"If it is amenable to you, Miss Charlotte," Charlotte he said her name, her Christian name and her heart of hearts whispered that she would love to hear him say it for the rest of her days. "I would ask that you dream fondly of me tonight, for I know you shall haunt my own dreams.”

And with that he was gone.

Charlotte stared at the spot he had been and wondered at which point her life had become a romance novel.

**Author's Note:**

> come find me on [tumblr](www.spacecleavage.tumblr.com)
> 
> let me know what you think


End file.
